Dry shaver having two independent shearing means with means to drive each shearing means separately



1965 B. FUTTERER ETAL 3,213,535

DRY SHAVER HAVING TWO INDEPENDENT SHEARING MEANS WITH MEANS TO DRIVEEACH SHEARING MEANS SEPARATELY Filed Aug. 2, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Inventors em FUTTERER Roacn'r WICH A TTORNCYS Oct. 26, 1965 FUTTERERETAL 3,213,536

DRY SHAVER HAVING TWO INDEPENDENT SHEARING MEANS WITH MEANS TO DRIVEEACH SHEARING MEANS SEPARATELY Filed Aug. 2, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1+1"Q11 15 b2 In H 31 l 152 75 31 38 V 15 H 3O 33 7O 40 9 r 18 U! I Hlnventors 8000 FDTTERER Rolf-RT W1C H ATTORNEYS United States Patent3,213,536 DRY SHAVER HAVING TWO INDEPENDENT SHEARING MEANS WITH MEANS TODRIVE EACH SHEARING MEANS SEPARATELY Bodo Fiitterer, Lagen, and RobertWich, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, assignors to Braun Aktiengesellschaft,Frankfurt am Main, Germany Filed Aug. 2, 1963, Ser. No. 299,509 Claimspriority, application Germany, Aug. 10, 1962, B 68,379 7 Claims. '(Cl.30-341) This invention relates in general to dry shaver construction andto drive couplers, and particularly to a new and useful dry shaverhaving coupling means for independently driving a separate long haircutter as well as a short hair cutter or trimmer.

The present invention has particular application in respect topower-driven dry shavers having rotating drives with a rotatableelement, such as a shaft, which may be selectively rotated in oppositedirections. The invention relates to a coupling drive for devices ofthis nature and in particular to a shaver construction which includes ausual cutter for cutting short hair and an additional cutter for longhair or for trimming.

Shavers have been constructed with separate short hair and long haircutting elements which are either permanently secured with the casing orwhich can be detached therefrom. With shavers of this type the shorthair cutter is driven by an electric motor through a drive which doesnot permit its disconnection. In some instances, an associated shorthair cutter may be connected or removed from the drive, but in allinstances the short hair cutter operates when the electric motor isconnected.

According to another known type of shaver contruction, the dry shavercasing can be selectively fitted with different exchangeable cuttingheads of different cutting characteristics, that is, the casing may befitted with a head for short hair cutting or with a head for trimmingpurposes. It is also known to arrange a trimmer assembly at thedetachable head frame of a shaver casing, the head frame being mountableon the casing in two different positions in one of which the trimmer iscoupled with the drive of the casing, while in the other it will be outof engagement with the drive (in the opposite position.)

The known constructions have disadvantages. In the constructions wherethe short hair cutter is always operated, even if the trimmer assemblyis to be used, additional energy is necessary to operate the short haircutter and results in additional load on the drive. If the short haircutter elements are operated while the trimmer assembly is to beemployed, then unnecessary mechanical wear of the short hair cuttingelements will result. In shavers which can be fitted with differentcutting heads, manipulation and operation are more cumbersome, and theconstructional elements necessary to permit easy exchangeability of thedifferent cutter heads on the casing are more complicated and tend tobecome worn and may break. All of the prior art constructions have incommon the principal disadvantage that for the purpose of selectivelyoperating the shaver, two manipulations are required, namely: (1) tocouple the cutting elements for the desired cutting operation (or theuncoupling of the element for that cutting operation which is notdesired), and (2) actuation of the switch for starting up the motor.

In accordance with the present invention, improved coupling devices areprovided which overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. Thesecoupling devices are particularly applicable for use with a dry shaverof the type having permanent short hair and long hair cutters and havinga drive which may be selectively operated in opposite rotationaldirections.

A coupling constructed in accordance with the invention includes adouble armed coupling pawl which is carried on a follower which isaffixed to a driving shaft which shaft may be selectively rotated ineither direction. The double arm coupling pawl is effective to engagewith teeth formed on a first rotatable drive wheel member which isarranged to drive a first cutting element when the shaft is rotated inone direction, and the pawl is arranged so that it will engage the teethof a second drive wheel member for driving a second cutting element whenthe shaft is rotated in an opposite direction.

Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide improvedcouplng means, particularly for dry shavers, permitting selectiveoperation of two independent cutters.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dry shaver havingmeans for selectively operating one or two cutters.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dry shaver having along hair cutter and a trimmer for short hair and including couplingmeans connected to a shaft which is selectively rotatable in eitherdirection, the coupling means being such that upon rotation of the shaftin one direction the first cutter is operated, and upon rotation of theshaft in the opposite direction the second cutter is operated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shaver having arotatable shaft driven by an electric power source which is rotatable inone direction for driving a first cutter for short hair cutting and isrotatable in an opposite direction for driving a second cutter for longhair or trimming operation.

A further object is to provide an electric shaver with short and longhair cutters which may be operated independently under the control of aswitch.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dry shaver and acoupling construction which are simple in design, rugged in constructionand economical to manfacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention,its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and de sciptivematter in which there is illustrated and described a preferredembodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section of a coupling for a dry shaverconstructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a section similar to FIG. 1 but offset by about relative toFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partial longitudinal section of a shaver constructed inaccordance with the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawings in particular, coupling means or a couplingdevice generally designated for a dry shaver constructed in accordancewith the invention, as indicated in FIGS. 1 to 3, includes a follower 2which is affixed to a drive shaft 1 for rotation therewith and pawlmeans or a double armed pawl generally designated 4 which is engageablewith one of two drive wheels in accordance with the direction ofrotation of the shaft 1. The follower 2 is bifurcated and includes tworadially extending arm portions 3 and 3 which form bearing supports fora rotatable pin 3a which carries the doublearmed coupling pawl 4. Thedrive shaft 1 may be ro tated in either direction, and when so rotatedcorrespondingly rotates the follower 2 which carries the doublearmedcoupling pawl 4.

In accordance with the invention the double-armed pawl 4 is mountedadjacent drive wheels generally designated 9 and 19 which are freelyrotatable about the drive shaft 1. Each of the drive wheels 9 and 10includes in terior annular gearing or ratchet teeth elements 7, for thewheel 9, and 8, for the wheel 10.

In accordance with the invention, the double-armed coupling pawl 4includes a first arm or arm portion which is engaged in recesses 7abetween internal teeth 7 of the wheel 9 when the shaft 1 is rotated inone direction of rotation. The double-armed coupling pawl 4 furtherincludes a second arm or arm portion 6 which will engage in recesses 8abetween internal teeth 8 of the drive wheel when the shaft .1 is rotatedin the opposite direction.

As indicated in FIG. 3 in which the lower part of the wheel 9 has notbeen shown for clarity of illustration purposes, the coupling pawl 4engages with its arm 6 between teeth 8 of the wheel 10 when the driveshaft 1 rotates in a clockwise manner. The arm 5 of the coupling pawl 4is completely lifted out of engagement range of the teeth 7 of the wheel9. This is so because the slanted or oblique flange 6a of the arm 6 willengage in the recess 8a between the teeth 8, so that the wheel 10 of thecoupling will be rotated in the same direction and at the same speed asthe shaft 1.,

Upon reversal of rotation of direction of the drive shaft 1 the arm 6 ofthe coupling pawl 4 is rocked away from the engagement range of theinner gearing 8 of the wheel 10, it being deflected outwardly by theoblique flank 8b" of the tooth 8. This deflection causes the pawl arm 5to move into the engagement range of the teeth 7 of the wheel '9. Indoing so, the arm 5 of the coupling pawl engages with its oblique face5a into the recess 7a formed between teeth 7, so that the other arm 6 ismoved completely out of range of the teeth 8 of the wheel 10. Uponrotation of the shaft 1 in a counterclockwise direction the wheel 9 willthus be taken along in the same rotational direction. By again reversingthe rotational direction of the shaft 1, coupling arm 5 will be rockedoutwardly by being deflected by the oblique flank 7a of the teeth 7 tocause the arm 6 to engage between the teeth 8 of the wheel 10.

In FIGS. 4 and 5 the coupling is indicated in association with apower-driven dry shaver, and each combination driving wheel 9 and 10includes respective eccentric portions 11 and 12 for operating a longhair trimmer portion generally designated 15 and a short hair cuttergenerally designated 16, respectively.

As indicated in the drawings, the eccentric portion 11 engages in a slot17 of a coupling piece 18 which carries a movable cutting portion 15 ofthe long hair trimmer 15. The slot 17 is of a size so that rotation ofthe eccentric 11 causes a reciprocating movement of the cou- 'plingpiece 18 in the plane of FIG. 4. The coupling piece 18 is guided in astraight line by means of cutouts 21 and 22 which accommodate guide pins19 and 20, respectively, which are formed as upstanding extensions of anintermediate wall 26. Securing discs 24 and 25 are secured over theguide pins 19 and 20 and prevent undesired lifting of the coupling piece18 which glides on a bearing support 23 formed as a portion of theintermediate wall 26.

In order to start operation of the respectively desired cutting portion,the drive has to be imparted with the desired rotational direction. Thedrive preferably consists of a direct current motor which ispole-reversible. After the motor 27 has been switched on in the desiredrotational direction, the coupling automatically connects the respectivedesired cutting portion of the shaver. In order to couple the desiredcutting elements, be it the long hair or the short hair cutter, with thedrive of the shaver, it is only necessary to provide a reversing switch28 which is connected in the direct circuit of the motor 27. Theswitching positions of the switch 28 are indicated by legends ormarkings (not shown) which indicate the respective cutter to beselected. The switch 28 is preferably constructed in a manner to causeit to interrupt the motor circuit and thus shut the motor downcompletely when in between two operational positions as indicated inFIG. 4. The drive motor 27 is secured to the intermediate wall 26.

By correspondingly actuating the switch 28 which is situated in thecircuit of the motor, the rotational direction of the shaft 1 can beselectively chosen. If this rotational direct is chosen in such a mannerthat the pawl 4 of the coupling takes along the wheel 9, then theeccentric portion 11 of the wheel causes the coupling piece 13 toreciprocate together with the cutting portion 15' which glides alongadjacent stationary cone portion 15". In this manner the long haircutter 15 of the shaver has been placed into operation.

If the short hair cutter 16 is to be operated, then the rotationaldirection of the motor shaft is changed by rocking the switch 28 in theopposite switching position, so that the rotational movement of the pawlis now transmitted to the driven wheel 10 of the coupling. The eccentricportion 12 formed as a portion of the wheel 10 then engages into alongitudinal slot 30 in the coupling piece 31 to cause the back andforward movement thereof. The coupling piece 31 is guided in a straightline manner between bearings 32 and 33 formed as inward extensions ofthe shaver casing at a hood-shaped casing wall 38 which closes the upperportion of the shaver. Coupling piece 31 is also guided between guidepins 36 and 37 which engage into the longitudinal grooves 34 and 35 ofthe coupling piece 31. The coupling piece 31 is connected with the knifehead 41 which is longitudinally movable in the frame-like casing head40. The knife head 41 is formed in the known manner of the knife headframe 41 and knives 41 are inserted therein transversely to the movement direction. The coupling piece 31, with the knife head 41, is thusreciprocated in the direction of the arrows A by means of the eccentricportion 12, so that the knife 41" glides along the perforated foil orhead plate 42 for the purpose of effective short hair shaving. If afterthe use of the short hair cutter 16 the drive of the shaver is to bestopped, the reversal switch 28 is rocked into a center position asindicated in FIG. 4, to disrupt the electrical connection to the motor27.

The invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments, but manymodifications may be effected with regard to the construction of thecoupling which is dependent on the rotational direction of the shaft. Itis also within the scope of the invention to arrange such a coupling indry shavers having a rotating cutter system. The rotating cutter elementfor long or short hair, respectively, may thus be associated, eitherdirectly or indirectly, with respective driven wheels of the coupling,and, if associated indirectly, then this may be accomplished through asuitable transmission means, for example by coaxial shafts. Finally, theinventive coupling is capable of combining in a single shaver cuttingelements of different systems, and the coupling may then selectivelycouple a desired one of these systems with the dry shaver.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed in detail to illustrate the application of the inventiveprinciples, it will be understood that the invention may be embodiedotherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

I 1. A dry shaver comprising a casing, an electric driving motor mountedin said casing having a drive shaft, said motor being capable ofrotating said drive shaft in both directions of rotation, a first memberwith openings for receiving hair for cutting a first cutter mounted forsliding movement in said casing adjacent said first member for cuttingthe hair presented through the openings thereof, a second member withopenings for receiving hair for cutting, a second cutter mounted forsliding movement in said casing adjacent said second member for cuttingthe hair presented through the openings thereof, a coupling mounted insaid casing and connected between said drive shaft and said first andsecond movable cutters, said coupling including first and secondrotatable wheels connected respectively to said first and second movablecutters, and means carried by said shaft in engagement with said firstwheel for moving the cutter upon rotation of said shaft in onedirection, and engagea-ble with said second wheel for moving said secondcutter upon rotation of said shaft in a second direction.

2. A power-driven shaver according to claim 1, wherein said first andsecond wheels are freely rotatable on said shaft and include internalgearing, said means carried by said shaft including a follower memberand a pawl pivotally carried by said follower member engageable with thegearing of said first wheel upon rotation of the shaft in a firstdirection and engageable with the second wheel upon rotation of theshaft in an opposite direction.

3. A dry-shaver according to claim 1, wherein each of said wheelsincludes :an eccentric portion, said first and second cutters having aportion which is slotted, said eccentrics being confined in respectiveones of said slots and being of .a size to reciprocate the associatedfirst and second cutter upon rotation of the eccentric portion.

4. A power-driven dry shaver including a casing, a motor mounted in saidcasing, switch means connected to said motor for rotating said motor inboth directions and for stopping said motor, said motor having a shaftwhich is rotatable in selective directions in accordance with theorientation of said switch, a follower member atfixed to said shaft forrotation therewith, a pawl p-ivotally carried at the end of saidfollower member, a first coupling wheel having internal gearing adaptedto be engaged by said pawl upon rotation of said pawl in a firstdirection, a second coupling wheel rotatable on said shaft and havinginternal gearing adapted to be engaged by said pawl upon rotation ofsaid pawl in an opposite direction, each of said first and second wheelsincluding eccentric portions, first member with openings for receivinghair for cutting, a first long hair cutter slidably mounted in saidcasing adjacent said first member for cutting the hair presented throughthe openings thereof, said first long hair cutter having a slottedportion engagea'ble over the eccentric portion of said first couplingwheel, the slotted portion and the eccentric portion being of a size sothat said long hair cutter is reciprocated upon rotation of theeccentric portion, a second member with openings for receiving hair forcutting, and a second cutter mounted on said casing for slidablemovement adjacent said sec-0nd member for cutting the hair presentedthrough the openings thereof and including a slotted portion engagedaround the eccentric portion of said second coupling wheel and beingmovable by the said eccentric portion for reciprocating said secondcutter.

5. A dry shaver according to claim 4, wherein said first and secondcoupling wheels are axially offset, said pawl having .a first armportion adapted to engage in the gearing of said first coupling wheel:and a second arm portion adapted to engage in the gearing of saidsecond coupling wheel, said first arm portion being shaped to bedeflected outwardly by the gearing of said first coupl-ing wheel uponrotation in one direction and for engagement in the gearing of saidfirst coupling whee-l upon rotation in an opposite direction.

6. A dry shaver comprising a casing, an electric driving motor mountedin said casing having a drive shaft, said motor being capable ofrotating said drive shaft in both directions of rotation, a first memberwith openings for receiving hair for cutting, a first cutter mounted forsliding movement in said casing adjacent said first member for cuttingthe hair presented through the opening thereof, a second member withopenings for receiving hair for cutting, a second cutter mounted forsliding movement in said casing adjacent said second member for cuttingthe hair presented through the openings thereof, and coupling meansconnected between said drive shaft and said first and second movablecutters for causing movement of said first cutter when said drive shaftis rotated in one direction and for causing movement of said secondcutter when said drive shaft is rotated in an opposite direction.

7. A dry shaver comprising .a casing, an electric driving motor mountedin said casing having a drive shaft, said motor being capable ofrotating said drive shaft in both directions of rotation, a first memberwith openings for receiving hair for cutting, a first cutter mounted forsliding movement in said casing adjacent said first member for cuttingthe hair presented through the opening thereof, a second member withopenings for receiving hair for cutting, a second cutter mounted forsliding movement in said casing adjacent said second member for cuttingthe hair presented through the openings thereof, and coupling meansconnected between said first and second movable cutters for causingmovement of said first cutter when said drive shaft is rotated in onedirection and for causing movement of said second cutter when said driveshaft is rotated in an opposite direction a switch mounted on saidcasing and connected to said motor, said switch being movable in onedirection to energize said motor to rotate said drive shaft in onedirection and being movable in an opposite direction to energize saidmotor to rotate said drive shaft in an opposite directi-on.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 534,374 2/95Pieper et al 310-78 967,006 8/10 Feile 192-50 1,020,417 3/12 Hartley192-50 1,170,653 2/16 Marette 192-51 1,218,613 3/17 Adler 192-501,290,031 1/19 Adler 192-50 2,300,143 10/42 Ber-g 30-341 2,331,466 10/43 Going 30-341 2,335,469 1 1/43 Angell 192-50 2,371,242 3/45 Jensen30-341 2,531,819 11/50 Lewis 192-50 2,541,189 2/51 Barsch 30-342,574,317 1 1/51 Berg 30-341 2,778,467 1/57 Lewis 192-50 2,917,824 12/59Brauss 30-341 FOREIGN PATENTS 520,751 1/56 Canada.

WILLIAM FEL-DMAN, Primary Examiner. MYRON C. KRUSE, Examiner.

1. A DRY SHAVER COMPRISING A CASING, AN ELECTRIC DRIVING MOTOR MOUNTEDIN SAID CASING HAVING A DRIVE SHAFT, SAID MOTOR BEING CAPABLE OFROTATING SAID DRIVE SHAFT IN BOTH DIRECTIONS OF ROTATION, A FIRST MEMBERWITH OPENINGS FOR RECEIVING HAIR FOR CUTTING A FIRST CUTTER MOUNTED FORSLIDING MOVEMENT IN SAID CASING ADJACENT SAID FIRST MEMBER FOR CUTTINGTHE HAIR PRESENTED THROUGH THE OPENINGS THEREOF, A SECOND MEMBER WITHOPENINGS FOR RECEIVING HAIR FOR CUTTING, A SECOND CUTTER MOUNTED FORSLIDING MOVEMENT IN SAID CASING ADJACENT SAID SECOND MEMBER FOR CUTTINGTHE HAIR PRESENTED THROUGH THE OPENINGS THEREOF, A COUPLING MOUNTED INSAID CASING AND CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID DRIVE SHAFT AND SAID FIRST ANDSECOND MOVABLE CUTTERS, SAID CONPLING INCLUDING FIRST AND SECONDROTATABLY WHEELS CONNECTED RESPECTIVELY TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND MOVABLECUTTERS, AND MEANS CARRIED BY SAID SHAFT IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FIRSTWHEEL FOR MOVING THE CUTTER UPON ROTATION OF SAID SHAFT IN ONEDIRECTION, AND ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID SECOND WHEEL FOR MOVING SAID SECONDCUTTER UPON ROTATION OF SAID SHAFT IN A SECOND DIRECTION.